Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Predictions Nov 2026 · 2026-11-05

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

You are walking home through Oak Lane on Tuesday evening when you find a dog without anyone nearby. Its collar has the name and address of your neighbour, Mr Lewis, who you know only slightly. You take the dog to your flat because it is raining, but you are unsure whether he is at home.

Write a letter to Mr Lewis. In your letter

• explain where and when you found the dog
• describe what you have done to look after it since finding it
• ask him to collect the dog or suggest another way to return it

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear ...............,

Student answer (Band 5.5)

Dear Mr Lewis,

I hope you are doing well. I am writing this letter to inform that I have your dog, which I found today in nearby park. I want to know when you available at home, mostly I am available after 5 O'clock in the evening.

First of all, here I would explain you how I got Arthur! Around 7AM in the morning I went out for walk in the nearby park, during the jogging my eyes caught unattended dog eloped behind the pine wood tree trunk. Also, it was little feared, when i was properly checked his body I saw some details about dog like dog name,owner name, address and contact detail.

Moreover, I found that the address which written on tag was your's address and I double checked it with your name which is also written on that tag. And suddnaly rain started so I do not have any option to leave him at park but taken him to my house.

I hope to hear back from you soon.

Best wishes.

Mohammad

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You explain that you found Arthur in a nearby park and took him home when the rain began, so the reader understands the basic situation. However, the account does not match the prompt in important details: it says Tuesday evening, while your letter says “today” and describes finding him at “7AM.” You also do not clearly explain how you have cared for the dog after bringing him home. The request is only indirect—“I want to know when you available at home”—and does not clearly ask Mr Lewis to collect Arthur or offer a specific alternative for returning him. Address each bullet directly, including the correct time, care provided, and a clear collection arrangement.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The letter has a recognisable opening, body and closing, and the events are presented in a broadly understandable order: you introduce the dog, describe finding him, then explain why you took him home. However, the progression is weakened by an unclear opening about your availability before the discovery is explained. Connectors such as “First of all” and “Moreover” are used, but they do not always show the relationship between ideas naturally; the second paragraph also combines several details in a long, crowded sentence. Use separate paragraphs for the discovery, care and return arrangements, and link each point clearly. This would make the letter easier to follow without relying on formulaic transitions.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant vocabulary, including “unattended,” “collar/tag,” “address” and “rain started,” which helps communicate the situation. There are also attempts at more descriptive language, such as “my eyes caught,” but this is not a natural expression in this context. Several word-choice and spelling problems reduce precision, including “feared” for a frightened dog, “suddnaly,” “eloped,” and “pine wood tree trunk.” Phrases such as “dog name, owner name” are also repetitive and imprecise. Choose familiar, accurate expressions rather than forcing uncommon wording: for example, say that you “noticed an unattended dog” and that he “seemed frightened.” Proofreading spelling and collocations would improve clarity.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a time clause beginning “when” and a reason introduced by “so.” However, errors occur across the response and sometimes make the reader pause. Examples include “I am writing this letter to inform that,” “when you available,” and “the address which written on tag”; these need a subject or auxiliary verb and appropriate articles. Tense and sentence construction are also inconsistent in “I went out for walk … during the jogging my eyes caught.” Capitalisation and punctuation are uneven, as in lowercase “i” and the run-on sequence after “park.” Practise accurate basic clauses first, then combine them with clear subordinate clauses and check each sentence for a complete verb.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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